Several Delhi hospitals again on the verge of running out of oxygen

Lives of hundreds of critical COVID-19 patients was at the mercy of the Central government on Thursday as oxygen supplies in almost all the major hospitals in Delhi were running low, with some hospitals stating they just that two hours supply left.

According to the Delhi government, one of the oldest hospitals in Delhi Holy Family in Okhla reported just 2.5 hours of oxygen remaining in the afternoon. Among government hospitals, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in West Delhi’s Rohini had only four hours of oxygen left.

This was the oxygen status in government hospitals across Delhi:

1. Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital: 4 hours

2. Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital: 6 hours

3. Burari Hospital: 7 hours

4. Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital: 8 Hours

5. Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital: 11 hours

This was the oxygen status in private hospitals across Delhi:

1. Holy Family Hospital: 2.5 hours

2. BLK Hospital: 4 hours

3. Max Super Speciality, Patparganj: 4 hours

4. Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute: 5 hours

5. St Stephens Hospital: 18 hours

6. Max Super Speciality, Shalimar Bagh: 18 hours

7. Gangaram Hospital: 20 hours

The CEO of Shanti Mukund Hospital in the capital broke down on Thursday as he said his facility had 110 patients on oxygen and the doctors were unable to maintain full levels of supply needed by each patient and they were forced to resort to rationing to ensure that supplies last longer.

“The situation is deplorable. People will die. We have no oxygen. We are now asking doctors to discharge those who can be discharged. We have two hours’ supply left. We feel helpless. As doctors we have to save lives and today we can’t even give oxygen,” Sangar said.

Late on Wednesday, Max Hospital had in Patparganj had moved the Delhi High Court for an emergency hearing because they had only three hours of oxygen left in the hospital. “Every 10 days, we have doubled the number of COVID cases and the fact of the matter on the ground is that there is a shortage of oxygen and it is evident to all. It is not that it is artificial or being wrongly projected. It is there. We cannot shut our eyes to it,” said the Division Bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli.

“As a state, you cannot say that look we can provide this much and no more, so if people die, let them die. That cannot be acceptable and that cannot be an answer of the sovereign state. We will have to enforce the fundamental rights of people and direct that you beg, borrow and steal and do whatever you have to do but you have to do. We cannot see people dying, because people are dying,” said the court.

It added: “We are telling you that as a sovereign state, it is your responsibility to provide every metric tonne of oxygen that is required by patients in India. It is your responsibility. You cannot turn around and say ‘sorry, we do not have it, lose your life’. We cannot accept that. You have to go a step further. If the result is that those industries have to shut down for some time, till you make alternate arrangements, so be it, because we cannot afford to lose lives. That is the bottom line”.

The Centre represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that it had increased the Delhi’s supply of oxygen to 480 MTs from 378 MTs. “What is the point of all this paper exercise? We do not understand. If they require 700 MTs… the number of patients has risen. It is no solace to anybody that you are supplying 400-odd. We are not blaming you but you have to understand that it is an emergency,” the court said.

“We are hopeful that the emergent needs of various hospitals in Delhi will be met so that no casualties are suffered on account of discontinued supply of oxygen to seriously ill COVID patients and other patients who require oxygen support till we take up the matter and pass orders tomorrow,” said the court, while adjourning the hearing to Thursday afternoon.

The Supreme Court on Thursday took suo moto cognisance of the COVID-19 pending cases in the Delhi High Court.

Delhi recorded 24,638 Covid-19 cases on April 21, taking the total number of cases to 9.3 lakh. India has been recording more than 2 lakh infections everyday since April 15. On April 22, India recorded 3.14 lakh cases, which is the world's biggest-ever daily surge.

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